The present disclosure relates generally to wagering games and more particularly to wagering games having rotating reels or wheels.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional apparatus and method for evaluating the reels of a slot machine. FIG. 1 shows a display device 16 or 18 of a gaming device discussed below in connection with FIGS. 2A and 2B. Display device 16 or 18 displays a plurality of reels 54a to 54e (referred to herein collectively as reels 54 or generally as reel 54). Display device 16 or 18 also shows a plurality of paylines 52a to 52c (referred to herein collectively as paylines 52 or generally as payline 52), along which the gaming device evaluates the reel symbols to determine if a winning symbol or combination of symbols has been generated.
In a conventional reel symbol evaluation, the winning symbol combinations must appear from left to right along the paylines 52. For example, if three heart symbols form a winning combination, the three heart symbols must appear on reels 54a to 54c. In the illustrated example, the three hearts appearing on reels 54a to 54c of payline 2 (52b) would yield a win to the player. However, in such conventional slot games, the three heart symbols appearing on reels 54c to 54e along payline 1 (52a) would not yield a win to the player in such a conventional game. It is also known in certain slot machines to pay for right to left winning symbol combinations, and for both left to right winning symbol combinations and right to left winning symbol combinations.
It is also known to stop the spinning of reels 54a to 54e beginning with left most reel 54a first, followed by the second reel 54b, the third reel 54c, the fourth reel 54d and finally the fifth reel 54e. By doing so, the gaming device can reveal to the player after the stoppage of the second reel 54b whether a particular payline has a potential to yield an award. For example, viewing FIG. 1 (which has left to right pays), the player knows that payline 1 will not yield an award after reel 54b comes to a stop (assuming the Diamond symbol, Double Bar symbol combination is not part of a winning combination of symbols). Also, the player knows after the stoppage of reel 54b that payline 3 will not yield a win (assuming the Apple symbol, 7 symbol combination is not part of a winning symbol combination). As shown, paylines 1 and 3 (54a and 54c) can become less fun and exciting to view after reel 54b or a subsequent reel stops spinning. In other words, players often know that they will not win after one or a plurality of reels stop regardless of the further reels. This can be very discouraging for players.
In the conventional method and apparatus for evaluating reel symbols shown in FIG. 1, the level of interaction between reels 54a and 54e is limited to the combination of symbols generated on those reels. While the symbols may be part of a common game theme, the symbols in the conventional method do not interact with one another other than to form a combination of symbols, which is evaluated to determine if the player wins an award.
A need therefore exists to provide a reel symbol evaluation method and apparatus that helps to maintain suspense throughout the entire stoppage of reels. Another need exists to increase the interaction between the symbols of different reels during and following reel spins, so as to increase the fun and excitement of the reel spins.